


Go the Kriff to Sleep!

by ReneeoftheStars



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Clone Wars, Found Family, Jedi, Padawan Kanan Jarrus, Parental Mace Windu, The Clone Wars - Freeform, Tired Mace Windu, baby caleb dume, clone trooper mention, depa billaba is a sweetheart, go the fuck to sleep - Freeform, jedi mission, mission, yes this title came from
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-02
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-14 11:48:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,621
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29791482
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReneeoftheStars/pseuds/ReneeoftheStars
Summary: Mace Windu just wants to sleep. His grand-Padawan has other plans.
Relationships: master and apprentice - Relationship, master and grandpadawan, master and padawan - Relationship
Comments: 3
Kudos: 30





	Go the Kriff to Sleep!

**Author's Note:**

> Written as a stretch goal for Found: A Clone Wars Zine

Mace Windu couldn’t sleep.

He lay on his cot, eyes closed, arms folded behind his head. Outside the tent, he heard the quiet voices of Commanders Ponds and Grey as they made the rounds. Laughter carried across the camp as the men talked, thermal lamps hummed, all while the skeletal branches of the massive trees outside raked together. But none of those noises were keeping him awake.

It was his grand-Padawan.

“Master?” The boy’s voice came again from the cot on the other side of the small tent. It had been about ten minutes since his rapid-fire queries regarding the social castes of the local population. Mace had hoped he’d finally fallen asleep – but apparently that was not to be.

Mace kept his eyes closed and said nothing. But the question wasn’t directed at him.

“Yes, Caleb?” Depa Billaba replied calmly from the cot beside Mace. She sounded tired, but alert enough that she must not have managed to fall asleep yet. The woman had infinite patience that bested Mace himself some nights; he heard her roll over to face her Padawan, giving him her full attention.

“The translator told me that the locals worship a spirit that controls the destinies of everyone in the galaxy. Isn’t that just the Force?”

“It sounds like it may be an interpretation of it, yes.”

“Then why don’t they just call it ‘the Force’? 

“Because that is not their faith,” Depa replied simply. “It is not for us to correct their beliefs.”

Caleb Dume didn’t sound satisfied with that answer. “But we know the truth.”

“Do we?”

The boy must have been caught off guard by that question, for he didn’t say anything else. Mace heard rustling as Depa rolled back over.

In the following silence, Mace settled back to focusing on his breathing. He felt each breath rush into his lungs, then drag out; he felt his heart thrumming against his chest, and he willed it to slow. As he did every time before he slept, he reached out with the Force, passing by each person in the camp. Everyone accounted for, he allowed his mind to clear, his body to relax. 

It didn’t last.

“Master?”

The boy had been silent for fifteen minutes – a record for the night.

“Yes, Caleb?” came Depa’s ever-patient voice. Mace heard her draw a deep breath as she stifled a yawn.

“You said we’re going to wait until nightfall in four days to move on the Separatist’s base, right?”

“Correct. Their machines are solar-powered, so striking at night will give us an advantage.”

There was silence for a moment.

“Won’t they have reserves of energy they can use?”

“Indeed. Which is why Commander Ponds and Master Windu will lead a covert force to take out their generators right before we move in.”

“Oh.”

Mace quieted his mind. There was much to plan in the coming days, and he needed all the rest he could get. After a while, the ambient noise of the camp began to fade as he began to drift to sleep – 

“Master?”

Mace was awake. 

Irritation flickered through him. He acknowledged it and let it go. In the few months that Depa had taken Caleb as her apprentice, it had quickly become apparent that the boy had a keen mind, and a desire to learn.

If only he could keep his curiosity to himself until the sun rose. 

Mace opened his eyes to the mostly-dark tent. He turned his head towards his former apprentice. Depa lay on her side, facing Mace. Her robe lay over her like a blanket, her dark hair unbraided, loose on her pillow. Her eyes remained closed, but as Mace watched, a weary smile touched her lips.

“Yes, Caleb?”

Mace couldn’t see the boy over Depa, but the soft blue glow of a datapad lit up the tent wall behind her. The Jedi Master suppressed a groan; Caleb wasn’t even attempting to go to sleep. 

“Is there a reason we’re attacking in four days?”

“It will give us time to get our troops in position and do proper recon.”

“Would it make a difference if we did it in six days instead?”

Depa opened her eyes blearily. She caught Mace’s look and smiled at him, cocking an eyebrow at him. “Well, Master Windu? Would two days make a difference?”

Caleb’s voice suddenly sounded worried. “Oh, sorry, Master Windu – did I wake you?”

“No, Padawan Dume,” Mace said levelly as Depa bit her lip to keep from laughing. “I’ve been awake. As to your question, it would be two days more of Separatist occupation on this world, which we cannot allow.” 

“Of course, Master,” Caleb said hastily before falling silent.

Mace waited for him to say something else, but nothing came, even though some question hung in the air between them. Mace raised an eyebrow at Depa. The woman gestured ever-so-slightly with her head, her eyes flicking to the side in an obvious instruction: _talk to him_. 

They’d had the discussion before leaving the Jedi Temple. Proud to be chosen as Depa’s Padawan and eager to prove himself, Caleb Dume stuck closely to her side, admiration obvious in his every gesture, asking questions and putting forward ideas with lightning speed. 

But whenever Mace was around, the boy clammed up, ducked his head, and became demure. 

“Have I done something to offend him?” Mace had asked Depa as they left the Council Chamber after receiving their assignment.

“Not at all,” his former Padawan had assured him. “But you’re a leading member of the Jedi Council, a revered Master, and a bit grim-faced. He’s worried about living up to your expectations. He’s intimidated by you. He’ll warm up to you, Mace. Just open up to him a little.”

So, Mace took her words to heart. With a grunt, he sat up on his cot, stretching. “What is it, Padawan Dume?”

On the other side of Depa, the blue datapad light reflected in the boy’s wide, startled eyes. He scrambled to a sitting position, hugging his knees. His brown hair was mussed from laying down; a chunk of hair stuck upright, his Padawan braid hooked over his ear. Caleb looked almost too small for his robes, arms practically swimming in the wide sleeves. He clutched the datapad tightly. 

“Nothing, Master,” he replied quickly. “I just – I’d had a thought – but it’s nothing, really.”

“You thought it was worth mentioning,” Mace said, leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees. “I would like to hear your thoughts on the matter.”

Depa propped herself up on her elbows, yawning. She smiled encouragingly at her Padawan.

Caleb sucked in a breath to steady himself. He ran a hand through his hair, holding his head while he thought. Finally, he activated the projection mode on the datapad and laid it flat. A hologram of the local solar system flickered into the air. 

“So, this –” Caleb pointed to the fifth planet, “is us.” He hesitated.

Mace could see the doubt in his eyes. He felt a frown tug at the corners of his mouth, but he fought it back. Instead, he softened his expression. “Go on, Caleb.” 

“Well…” The boy cleared his throat. “I was looking up information about the planet, because Master Depa suggested it, and I found out there’s a cosmic event happening in six days, and I thought we might be able to use it.”

Mace tilted his head. “What kind of cosmic event?”

“An eclipse. A total solar eclipse. I know most eclipses only last a few minutes, but the moon that’s going to be blocking out the sun is massive – it’s almost as big as the planet, just less dense. So, the sun will be blocked out for longer. The locals have a huge celebration to commemorate it, since it only happens once a generation or so.” Caleb paused, his expression clouding. “But I guess they can’t really celebrate it. Not with the occupation going on.” 

Studying the rotating hologram, Mace chided himself for taking the planet’s rotation cycle for granted. Each planet, each system was different, and deserved its own attention. And he had forgotten that.

“You did well to see this opportunity, Caleb,” Mace said approvingly. “If we do wait the two extra days, do you have a way to incorporate this into the plan?”

“Not yet, Master. But I’m working on it.” Caleb grinned, eyes bright and excited. 

“We can discuss it tomorrow, once we’ve had time to sleep on it.” Depa settled back on her cot. “Once we’ve found a way to use this to our advantage, we can inform the troopers.”

Mace nodded. “Agreed. Good work, Caleb Dume.”

“Thank you, Master!” The boy beamed.

“Why don’t you leave the datapad alone for now,” Mace suggested. “It’s late. We should sleep.”

“Sure. I mean – of course, Master,” Caleb said quickly as he deactivated the projection. Darkness crept back into the tent.

Mace shook his head and shot a look at Depa as he repositioned himself. “And I thought _you_ were inquisitive as a Padawan,” he murmured.

Depa smiled. “Questions are the best way to learn.”

There was thirty seconds of silence before it was broken. 

“Master Depa?” Caleb was sitting up again, a small silhouette in the darkness. “How many years _were_ you a Padawan for? And Master Windu, who was _your_ Master? Is it hard to have a seat on the Council and a Padawan? How –”

“Caleb Dume,” Mace sighed. “Please: go to sleep.”

“Yes, Master Windu,” came the sheepish reply. “Sorry. Sleep well.”

Mace held his breath as he waited for another question, but none came. He chuckled to himself before rolling over to finally go to sleep. Padawans in his line were all alike, it seemed.


End file.
